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Sunday, March 23, 2014

So far, so...busy

So much has happened since the last post! Here's a brief list (posts and pics on each still to come):

Popcorn ceilings removed

New baseboards painted (I learned to use a professional paint sprayer!)

Hardwood floors and baseboards installed

Wallpaper removed in breakfast area

Boys' playroom (fka formal dining area) ready for occupation

Fireplace painted*

Tankless Water Heater installed

Painted all rooms except office, master bedroom, and breakfast area**

Front garden overhaul complete***

Patio overhang repair underway

For the sake of brevity (and my own sanity) I won't list all the things I HAVEN'T done yet, or haven't even started. Just know that there's a future post dedicated solely to my passionate and all-consuming hatred of the master bath.

What I AM posting pictures of today is the front yard! I wish we'd had a sunny day for photos, but it's been threatening rain all weekend.

My bluetheme worked out pretty well, I think. I had to modify the rose selection - I just couldn't find enough positive information about the bloom consistency of the Reine des Violettes, so I went the tried and true Valentine rose.

Hopefully the red won't look too red, and will look more red-blue. I surrounded them with blue grasses and purple flowers to pull the color in that direction.

I filled upwards of 40 lawn bags with plant debris from the removal, and had to call upon my dear lawn guy of old to take a chainsaw to the stumps that remained.

The neighbors keep commenting on how much tearing out those giant ugly shrubs down has opened up the front of the house! I agree and I'm thrilled, but it has also exposed the garage wall which literally hasn't seen daylight in at least 10 years. It was completely covered by those gawd-awful stabby holly bushes and was actually growing moss.

It looks even worse in pictures.

I'm completely at a loss for what to do in that little bed by the garage, so it has a little of everything.

The plant list:

Bismark Palm

Altas Mountain Palm

Agave Stricta 'Live Wires'

Euphorbia Lathyris (aka Gopher Spurge)

Santa Barbara Dwarf Mexican Sage

Azure Bush Germander

Valentine Rose

Silver Peso Texas Mountain Laurel

Canna 'Blueberry Sparkler'

Apostle Iris

Louisiana Iris 'Black Gamecock'

Aloe Striata (from my old garden)

Agave Weberi 'Purple Heart'

Agave Parryi

Elymus 'Canyon Prince'

Now I just wait and see what the summer kills....

*Full-disclosure: I've only primed the fireplace, but it already looks 100% better than it did.

**I have actually completely painted the sunroom but I hate the color. Let's just say that Palladium Blue isn't all it's cracked up to be.

***By and large the front planting is done, save some edging replacement and mulching.